If You Work in IT – Things You Do NOT Have to Worry About

There are many perks of working in IT; however, those that receive the most play are often the lifestyle advantages, from free food to arcade-style gaming in the office. While these benefits are certainly fun, savvy developers understand that the real perks of a tech career are internal, rather than external. These 5 things you don’t have to worry about if you work in IT illustrate some of the true advantages of a working in the field.

1. Having a lengthy stretch of unemployment after leaving a job

Sure, it is ideal adhere to the conventional wisdom: Always stay in your job until you have another position lined up. However, that’s not always plausible. If you can’t move from one position to another right away, you can at least take heart in knowing that you are not likely to be out of work for very long, given the current problem of supply vs. demand.

The U.S. economy at present is experience a shortage of workers via a vis jobs, due to the strength of the economy. This is especially true in IT, where 65 percent of CIO’s believed that hiring challenges were holding back companies.

Since there are not enough skilled tech workers to satisfy employers’ needs, you will quickly find an employer in need of your services as long as you possess in-demand skills. If you are having trouble finding an opening, retooling your skills with some of the top desired IT needs will pay off.

Note, this does not make tech workers immune from corporate layoffs, downsizing, or getting canned for bad behaviors at work.

2. Being bored from 9-5

Most people want a rewarding and varying work environment where there’s something to do every day. Tech jobs are hardly boring, since there is always a problem to solve — and more often than not, those problems are complex. While there may be periods of repetitive and boring work, they should be the exception rather than the rule.

If you do find yourself fidgety on the job, consider ways to enhance your skills. You might learn another language or improve your skills in an aspect of user interface design, AI, machine learning, or distributed programming. Or look for professional development opportunities within your organization. By investing that restless energy in skills development, you may be able to tackle new professional challenges and reignite that spark of curiosity.

3. Feeling stagnant in a position

Employee engagement in the U.S. hovers below one-third—which means that two-thirds of employees feel stagnant and disengaged on the job. Knowing these figures, it’s only natural to seek a rewarding career that won’t leave you stalled mid-level up the ladder.

Happily, tech workers enjoy low levels of stagnation in their careers, because things are always changing. The technology that you need to work on today will be vastly different five years from now. To stay up to date with the latest technology, tech workers are constantly learning new skills. Vast professional development opportunities, new challenges, and engagement with trends help tech workers avoid burnout.

While the demands of the work itself are always changing, tech workers can avoid burnout by moving up the career ladder as well as laterally, to the same jobs at other companies. It’s possible to go from a software developer position to team leader, and then to move up in other leadership roles at the company. There are trade-offs here, as managerial roles come with more soft skills than days spent writing code; however, many developers find they do enjoy working in management positions. For instance, it can be rewarding to take point in leading the team forward or using those critical thinking skills to improve the organization on a holistic level.

4. Feeling like they are not making a difference in their career

Sure, programmers aren’t exactly doctors who are saving lives or firefighters who are protecting their community. However, that doesn’t mean you aren’t making a difference. Passionate tech workers who want to give back through doing what they enjoy will find plenty of companies where technology is critical to the company success.

Feeling like you are making a difference at work plays a key role in long-term satisfaction and meaning. Tech workers may take pride in knowing they are implementing innovative technologies that are driving the company forward, troubleshooting problems that prevent others from being productive, or writing code that drives a transformative piece of software, for instance.

5. Losing out on top perks

As the demand for tech talent goes up, so do the perks.

Companies, faced with empty positions and a shortage of talented individuals to fill them, outdo themselves to woo the best workers. Not only does this mean a high salary commensurate with the right tech experience, but lifestyle perks that incentivize potential hires to sign on. Whether it’s free food, free gyms, free shuttles to work, and free massages—something Google offers its workers—or generous vacation and benefits packages, developers can expect ample rewards for their skills wherever they go.

Feeling satisfied at work is one component of a balanced life. There are just a few of the reasons that tech makes for a rewarding career on a qualitative as well as quantitative level, and there are many others. What makes you especially proud or excited about your current position?

Decide Consulting provides IT staffing services. Our conclusive hiring methodology enables us to bring the best IT problem solvers to your organization. Our entire management team comes from an IT technical background giving us a unique perspective on candidates and the industry.